Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Sophie in the Saddle, 15 Sep 2002
This is a book in a series of books all about a little girl called Sophie who is determined to be a lady farmer. In this story she gets a terrier which she names Puddle and goes on holiday to Cornwall. There she meets a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, stays on a farm, meets some new friends and starts riding lessons. She meets an old enemy on the beach.

Sophie and her friends are a delight to the imagination. The illustrations are magic and the funny. The misspelt and incorrectly pronounced words of Sophie take your mind from this world into Sophie's. A book created to amuse it's audience. Just one of a really amusing and enjoyable series of books.

A must for pony lovers and Sophie fans., 08 Oct 2001
This book is an ideal reader for children who want to read either on their own or with someone. The text is especially readable with good sentences and a wide range of word spellings to learn. The book/cassette is especially enjoyable, the narrator is clear and concise. A good book for bedtime to listen and relax to. Overall a very enjoyable story with a good start/middle and ending. Pany lovers everywhere will relish in Sophie's adventures.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Sophie in the Saddle, 15 Sep 2002
This is a book in a series of books all about a little girl called Sophie who is determined to be a lady farmer. In this story she gets a terrier which she names Puddle and goes on holiday to Cornwall. There she meets a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, stays on a farm, meets some new friends and starts riding lessons. She meets an old enemy on the beach.

Sophie and her friends are a delight to the imagination. The illustrations are magic and the funny. The misspelt and incorrectly pronounced words of Sophie take your mind from this world into Sophie's. A book created to amuse it's audience. Just one of a really amusing and enjoyable series of books.

A must for pony lovers and Sophie fans., 08 Oct 2001
This book is an ideal reader for children who want to read either on their own or with someone. The text is especially readable with good sentences and a wide range of word spellings to learn. The book/cassette is especially enjoyable, the narrator is clear and concise. A good book for bedtime to listen and relax to. Overall a very enjoyable story with a good start/middle and ending. Pany lovers everywhere will relish in Sophie's adventures.

Meet Sophie and Her Twin Brothers, 06 Jan 2001
All other Dick King-Smith stories I know have animal characters. Now, here's the exception. The Sophie series is entirely realistic, yet funny and thrilling. If you want to enjoy the whole set of 6 stories you best start with 'Sophie's Snail' because she and her twin brothers grow older, change and have new adventures in every story but you meet the old friends and enimies, too. My son and I were very sad when we came to the end of number six. We are still waiting for a follow-up because we are keen to learn how Sophie's life continues.

great fun for children and adults alike, 06 Jun 2000
The Sophie series are great for emerging readers. They are very funny and appeal to children and parents alike. They are written in a style which is both easy for children to listen to and read aloud. Also parents enjoy reading them aloud as they flow with good use of English. Sophie gets into all sorts of scrapes usually involving animals and her group of friends.Especially the long suffering Andrew, whom she is determined to marry as being a farmer's son, he will enable her to become a lady farmer! The story lines are strong and have a good moral basis. My seven year old daughter has read and reread these - what better indication of their excellence. Also the cassette versions are very well done and kept our entire family amused on a long journey through France.

Great story for a young reader who likes pets., 27 Apr 1999
I realy liked this book because Sophie has lots of pets of her own and I like pets too. Sophie gets a wish that she has been wanting but you'll have to read it to find out what it is. This book is really for a younger reader.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Sophie in the Saddle, 15 Sep 2002
This is a book in a series of books all about a little girl called Sophie who is determined to be a lady farmer. In this story she gets a terrier which she names Puddle and goes on holiday to Cornwall. There she meets a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, stays on a farm, meets some new friends and starts riding lessons. She meets an old enemy on the beach.

Sophie and her friends are a delight to the imagination. The illustrations are magic and the funny. The misspelt and incorrectly pronounced words of Sophie take your mind from this world into Sophie's. A book created to amuse it's audience. Just one of a really amusing and enjoyable series of books.

A must for pony lovers and Sophie fans., 08 Oct 2001
This book is an ideal reader for children who want to read either on their own or with someone. The text is especially readable with good sentences and a wide range of word spellings to learn. The book/cassette is especially enjoyable, the narrator is clear and concise. A good book for bedtime to listen and relax to. Overall a very enjoyable story with a good start/middle and ending. Pany lovers everywhere will relish in Sophie's adventures.

Meet Sophie and Her Twin Brothers, 06 Jan 2001
All other Dick King-Smith stories I know have animal characters. Now, here's the exception. The Sophie series is entirely realistic, yet funny and thrilling. If you want to enjoy the whole set of 6 stories you best start with 'Sophie's Snail' because she and her twin brothers grow older, change and have new adventures in every story but you meet the old friends and enimies, too. My son and I were very sad when we came to the end of number six. We are still waiting for a follow-up because we are keen to learn how Sophie's life continues.

great fun for children and adults alike, 06 Jun 2000
The Sophie series are great for emerging readers. They are very funny and appeal to children and parents alike. They are written in a style which is both easy for children to listen to and read aloud. Also parents enjoy reading them aloud as they flow with good use of English. Sophie gets into all sorts of scrapes usually involving animals and her group of friends.Especially the long suffering Andrew, whom she is determined to marry as being a farmer's son, he will enable her to become a lady farmer! The story lines are strong and have a good moral basis. My seven year old daughter has read and reread these - what better indication of their excellence. Also the cassette versions are very well done and kept our entire family amused on a long journey through France.

Great story for a young reader who likes pets., 27 Apr 1999
I realy liked this book because Sophie has lots of pets of her own and I like pets too. Sophie gets a wish that she has been wanting but you'll have to read it to find out what it is. This book is really for a younger reader.

An excellent CD from Lake Wobegon, 19 Oct 1998
This CD had me laughing out loud especially the story "Homecoming" which involves the confrontation between the Lake Wobegon homecoming parade (headed by a tank - of course) and a truck with a different type of tank - a septic one. In terms of big comic set pieces, I don't think GK has bettered this one (not even the classic "Living Flag")

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Sophie in the Saddle, 15 Sep 2002
This is a book in a series of books all about a little girl called Sophie who is determined to be a lady farmer. In this story she gets a terrier which she names Puddle and goes on holiday to Cornwall. There she meets a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, stays on a farm, meets some new friends and starts riding lessons. She meets an old enemy on the beach.

Sophie and her friends are a delight to the imagination. The illustrations are magic and the funny. The misspelt and incorrectly pronounced words of Sophie take your mind from this world into Sophie's. A book created to amuse it's audience. Just one of a really amusing and enjoyable series of books.

A must for pony lovers and Sophie fans., 08 Oct 2001
This book is an ideal reader for children who want to read either on their own or with someone. The text is especially readable with good sentences and a wide range of word spellings to learn. The book/cassette is especially enjoyable, the narrator is clear and concise. A good book for bedtime to listen and relax to. Overall a very enjoyable story with a good start/middle and ending. Pany lovers everywhere will relish in Sophie's adventures.

Meet Sophie and Her Twin Brothers, 06 Jan 2001
All other Dick King-Smith stories I know have animal characters. Now, here's the exception. The Sophie series is entirely realistic, yet funny and thrilling. If you want to enjoy the whole set of 6 stories you best start with 'Sophie's Snail' because she and her twin brothers grow older, change and have new adventures in every story but you meet the old friends and enimies, too. My son and I were very sad when we came to the end of number six. We are still waiting for a follow-up because we are keen to learn how Sophie's life continues.

great fun for children and adults alike, 06 Jun 2000
The Sophie series are great for emerging readers. They are very funny and appeal to children and parents alike. They are written in a style which is both easy for children to listen to and read aloud. Also parents enjoy reading them aloud as they flow with good use of English. Sophie gets into all sorts of scrapes usually involving animals and her group of friends.Especially the long suffering Andrew, whom she is determined to marry as being a farmer's son, he will enable her to become a lady farmer! The story lines are strong and have a good moral basis. My seven year old daughter has read and reread these - what better indication of their excellence. Also the cassette versions are very well done and kept our entire family amused on a long journey through France.

Great story for a young reader who likes pets., 27 Apr 1999
I realy liked this book because Sophie has lots of pets of her own and I like pets too. Sophie gets a wish that she has been wanting but you'll have to read it to find out what it is. This book is really for a younger reader.

An excellent CD from Lake Wobegon, 19 Oct 1998
This CD had me laughing out loud especially the story "Homecoming" which involves the confrontation between the Lake Wobegon homecoming parade (headed by a tank - of course) and a truck with a different type of tank - a septic one. In terms of big comic set pieces, I don't think GK has bettered this one (not even the classic "Living Flag")

Man's red flower!, 07 Dec 2007
"Man goes to man, in the end." Poignant, endearing, at times brutal, The Jungle Book pressed all my buttons.

As a young child who loved and adored all the Disney animated classics, particularly The Jungle Book, once I found out it had actually originated from a book, it was a must read, especially from such an esteemed writer. The book however is much more in depth and fulfilling than the animated cartoon. It charts Mowgli through his adventures in the jungle and his rise to friend and master of all in his domain. Along the way Kipling breaks off for exciting forays into other animal kingdoms and environments other than just the jungle, giving a real mixed bag of wonderful images resonating in the mind, from seal and Innuit, to a mongoose and elephant, there is plenty of variety that kept me entertained.
What particularly impressed me, was the way Kipling managed to muscle a meaningful short story into individual chapters, without leaving me with a sense I hadn't gotten to know the characters.

I really loved this book, and would definitely recommenend it.

Undeservedly unfashionable - a true, timeless classic, 09 Feb 2006
Kipling has long since ceased to be a fashionable writer. Accused of being racist (for his time, class and background he was in fact highly liberal in his views) and jingoistic (he lived the days when loyalty to Queen and Country was still called patriotism), he has fallen out of favour with the literati. Despite decades of continual snubbing, his books live on and his poem, IF was recently voted by the British public as their favourite, unashamedly sentimental it may seem now but it still stands as some of the best advice a father could give to his son, which was how and why it came to be.

His books also have that ultimate mark of any classic, the ability to be enjoyed as much by grown-ups as by children. The jungle book is most probably familiar to the world now through the Disney cartoon, which bears all the relationship to the original book as Muppet Treasure Island does to Robert Louis Stevenson. The real book is much darker, much more dangerous, much more exciting and much, much more enjoyable. Kipling takes anthropomorphism to its artistic ultimate and, within the cadre of jungle animals reflects human characteristics both good and bad: the sagacity of Baloo, the wisdom of Bagheera, the nobility of Akela, the independence of Kaa, the rottenness of Shere Khan and the mindless brutality of the Dhole. Humans, by contrast, fare rather poorly being divorced from their surroundings and, unlike the jungle characters, are shallow and act with neither motivation beyond self-interest nor principle.

So impressed was Lord Baden Powell that he made this book the basis for the cub scouts (as he did with another of Kipling's masterpieces, Kim for the scouts themselves). The books may contain Victorian values, but these are the best of Victorian values and the ones that define a civilized society, even if they, like Kipling, have become unfashionable. Above all though, the Jungle Book is a ripping yarn, a page-turner, a plot-boiler and, uniquely amongst Kipling's prolific output, a spawner of sequels; something that Walt Disney obviously recognised. The only words of warning or discouragement that I would utter is that the book, as with all the Mowgli stories, can be quite sinister and not suitable for the same age range as the cartoon and, speaking of the cartoon, be prepared to despise its fluffy, trite Americanised bowdlerisms forever once you have read the original; so, if you adore Disney and want to go on loving it, perhaps you should stay away from the literature from which it stole its ideas.

One of the greatest children's books ever - read it!, 25 Jan 2002
...The Jungle Book [is] one of the most thrilling and vivid fantasies ever written. Forget about the [...] Disney version, in which Kaa is the baddie, this stuff makes your hair stand on end, it's so alive to what it must feel like to be an animal. Mowgli's arrival at the wolves' cave, pursued by the evil tiger Shere Khan, his upbringing by the wolves, his adventures in the jungle and attempt to go back to living among men is full of savagery and beauty and excitement. Interleaved among the Mowgli stories are other great animal tales - about Rikki Tikki Tavi the mongoose who takes on two deadly cobras living in an Indian garden, and fights them to the death; and about a white seal who finds the one place where seals can be safe.
You do need a bit of patience in the beginning with Kipling, but he's worth it.

Re-ignites the beauty of story telling, 19 Dec 2000
Having been of the target age when Disney's enterpritation of the stories of Mowgli game to the big screen I decided to track the source of the magical tale. This book doesn't just contain the stories that follow Mowgli's adventures in the jungle, and quite different to the Disney version they are, but many other exciting tales, everyone captivating for its entirety. Whether it is the moral issues that are raised throughout the stories, or simply the value of a great story that you are after, this book has truely stood the test of time with shining colours.

very confusing ,and boring and ,what are they on about?, 11 Aug 2000
I thought hmmmmmm this seems too confusing and what were the wolves talking about.Just this then that and Sher Khan and Mowgli.Like what kind of world is it.Well i knew it was a jungle world but it was a stupid one. i can understand hamlet better than the jungle book.In this I could only make out one or two pages.well maybe a bit more but not much.I only read it at school, and when i was in the middle of it i decided to read another book and when i was finished with the other book i said to myself well i might aswell finish it. and i was so glad that i had finally finished it.

Listen and enjoy ( and remember Animal Magic!), 15 Apr 2008
I'd always enjoyed being read and later reading myself the Just So Stories. With children of my own I started them on these stories and having a cd of them means we can enjoy them on the move. The joy of hearing Jonnie Morris' super animal voice characterisations just adds to the enjoyment - takes me back to watching Animal Magic - deep joy!
Four year old daughter enjoys listening to the stories but my nine year old son has become a great fan - this now regularly is on his cd player in his room.
Buy this and you'll all be able to listen together and enjoy.

Just So Stories, 17 Oct 2007
I am a nine year old boy and my teacher got our class to read Just So Stories.
I think it was okay and can be hard to understand. The illustrations were different to other stories. It was funny at some parts and I enjoyed it.
But at some parts there was some dificult to understand the language.
I recommend this book to people who were around at the time it was written.

Highly Recommend, 06 Aug 2005
I bought this for my nearly 6 year old son. He has really enjoyed listening to the stories. He can listen to several or just a couple of stories depending on his mood.

Just So Stories [AUDIOBOOK], 20 Jun 2005
3 CD pack, plenty of stories, nice inlay.

Just So Stories - Gramercy edition, 02 Mar 2004
This is the best one to get - it's a facsimile of the first edition, in hardback, and with all the original Kipling illustrations. Accept no substitutes.

Disappointing, 10 Feb 2002
I found Tony Robinson's reading of these stories very disappointing.Some of the language used is not everyday speech, and this rendering is much too fast. It is necessary to have time for the words to be absorbed and appreciated and Tony does not allow for this. An old version by David Davies (apparently no longer available ) was much more rich and satisfying.
I have now ordered the Johnny Morris version in the hope that this will fulfill our expectations.

Lie back and relax ..., 05 Jun 2007
Listen to the CD - then read the book. Once you've got Keillor's voice in your head, you'll never read his books the same way again. Gentle humour about growing up in Lake Wobegon, the town the map-makers missed (yes, it's in Mist County). Carefully observed detail, related with love (and occasionally impatience). Yes, this is small-town America, and eventually Keillor escaped to the big city. These are the memories of his childhood.

Excellent CD!, 22 Mar 2004
This CD is superb - this was my introduction to Keillor when I heard this on Radio 4 and had to go out and buy the book. This is a witty and funny cd - if you are looking for belly laughs go elsewhere as this is subtle humour at its best. Hearing this led me to buy all of Keillors books - and I'm yet to be disappointed!

Hang on!, 06 Dec 2003
I've been surprised and sorry to see the number of negative reviews 'Lake Wobegon Days'... has everyone missed the point here? This is a really smashing, intimate book. It's not directly autobiographical, but there's elements of autobiography throughout. Lake Wobegon's not a real place, but it may as well be by the time you've finished the book. There is nothing beige or flat about this book. It's quick, it's witty, it's affectionate and discerning and it's a bloomin' bargain at the price. American literature doesn't come much better than this. I urge you to read it. Better still, listen to it on audiobook - Keillor's delivery is superb. You'll laugh quietly to yourself on public transport for days afterwards.

Dull, 29 Mar 2001
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes gentle and tender, but sadly, more often than not, it was just plain boring. It wasn't that it wasn't written well and I thought the idea of capturing what it was like to live in a community like that, especially as it must be so different now, was a lovely one. But I couldn't get over the overwhelming dullness of it.

BEST BOOK EVER, 26 Mar 2001
When I picked up this book, I was slightly overwhelmed by size and thickness of the literal doorstep I held in my hands. The last book I'd read had been Mike Foley's Autobiography, and although I'd loved every moment of that, I wasn't sure about Garrison Keillor's Modern Day Epic.

I wasn't disappointed though, I felt that with every page I was moving closer to small town America, and drawn into Minneapolis like a dying dog breathing it's last breathe. It was great!

I am reading it now for the third time, and would happily recommned it to everyone, 'cos it's so good it make s me cry real tear

Dick King Smith-Sophies Snail, 28 Dec 2003
This is the first of quitea few books on Sophie.
SOphie is a super character created by Mr King-Smith and is a lovely role model for children.
The book is brillient for children and parents alike to enjoy. It has some really comical and lovely plots, her great aunt al for example, and her over dramatic ambitions to be a farmer!
I think everyone should read this story because everyone can enjoy it.
10/10

A Highly Entertaining Realistic Children's Story, 06 Jan 2001
When I bought 'Sophie's Snail' I did not know what to expect from the title. It turned out to be a most entertaining story of a determined 6-year-old and her twin-brothers. In the whole series of 6 stories the children grow older, change, have fun and the reader meets the old friends and enimies in every new part. My son and I couldn't wait to find out how Sophie's life went on and were very sad when we came to the end of part 6. We are still hoping for a follow-up!

A very good book, 10 Oct 2000
I enjoyed this book, because of the plot. Sophie, a 4 year old, goes through the book owning a farm of snails, woodlice, caterpillars and other insects, meets a great, great, great aunt from the highlands of Scotland, becomes enemies with a frock wearing, ponytailed Dawn and gets a pet snail. It is funny how she does things, thinks things and says things. A should read book.

Sophie in the Saddle, 15 Sep 2002
This is a book in a series of books all about a little girl called Sophie who is determined to be a lady farmer. In this story she gets a terrier which she names Puddle and goes on holiday to Cornwall. There she meets a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, stays on a farm, meets some new friends and starts riding lessons. She meets an old enemy on the beach.

Sophie and her friends are a delight to the imagination. The illustrations are magic and the funny. The misspelt and incorrectly pronounced words of Sophie take your mind from this world into Sophie's. A book created to amuse it's audience. Just one of a really amusing and enjoyable series of books.

A must for pony lovers and Sophie fans., 08 Oct 2001
This book is an ideal reader for children who want to read either on their own or with someone. The text is especially readable with good sentences and a wide range of word spellings to learn. The book/cassette is especially enjoyable, the narrator is clear and concise. A good book for bedtime to listen and relax to. Overall a very enjoyable story with a good start/middle and ending. Pany lovers everywhere will relish in Sophie's adventures.

Meet Sophie and Her Twin Brothers, 06 Jan 2001
All other Dick King-Smith stories I know have animal characters. Now, here's the exception. The Sophie series is entirely realistic, yet funny and thrilling. If you want to enjoy the whole set of 6 stories you best start with 'Sophie's Snail' because she and her twin brothers grow older, change and have new adventures in every story but you meet the old friends and enimies, too. My son and I were very sad when we came to the end of number six. We are still waiting for a follow-up because we are keen to learn how Sophie's life continues.

great fun for children and adults alike, 06 Jun 2000
The Sophie series are great for emerging readers. They are very funny and appeal to children and parents alike. They are written in a style which is both easy for children to listen to and read aloud. Also parents enjoy reading them aloud as they flow with good use of English. Sophie gets into all sorts of scrapes usually involving animals and her group of friends.Especially the long suffering Andrew, whom she is determined to marry as being a farmer's son, he will enable her to become a lady farmer! The story lines are strong and have a good moral basis. My seven year old daughter has read and reread these - what better indication of their excellence. Also the cassette versions are very well done and kept our entire family amused on a long journey through France.

Great story for a young reader who likes pets., 27 Apr 1999
I realy liked this book because Sophie has lots of pets of her own and I like pets too. Sophie gets a wish that she has been wanting but you'll have to read it to find out what it is. This book is really for a younger reader.

An excellent CD from Lake Wobegon, 19 Oct 1998
This CD had me laughing out loud especially the story "Homecoming" which involves the confrontation between the Lake Wobegon homecoming parade (headed by a tank - of course) and a truck with a different type of tank - a septic one. In terms of big comic set pieces, I don't think GK has bettered this one (not even the classic "Living Flag")

Man's red flower!, 07 Dec 2007
"Man goes to man, in the end." Poignant, endearing, at times brutal, The Jungle Book pressed all my buttons.

As a young child who loved and adored all the Disney animated classics, particularly The Jungle Book, once I found out it had actually originated from a book, it was a must read, especially from such an esteemed writer. The book however is much more in depth and fulfilling than the animated cartoon. It charts Mowgli through his adventures in the jungle and his rise to friend and master of all in his domain. Along the way Kipling breaks off for exciting forays into other animal kingdoms and environments other than just the jungle, giving a real mixed bag of wonderful images resonating in the mind, from seal and Innuit, to a mongoose and elephant, there is plenty of variety that kept me entertained.
What particularly impressed me, was the way Kipling managed to muscle a meaningful short story into individual chapters, without leaving me with a sense I hadn't gotten to know the characters.

I really loved this book, and would definitely recommenend it.

Undeservedly unfashionable - a true, timeless classic, 09 Feb 2006
Kipling has long since ceased to be a fashionable writer. Accused of being racist (for his time, class and background he was in fact highly liberal in his views) and jingoistic (he lived the days when loyalty to Queen and Country was still called patriotism), he has fallen out of favour with the literati. Despite decades of continual snubbing, his books live on and his poem, IF was recently voted by the British public as their favourite, unashamedly sentimental it may seem now but it still stands as some of the best advice a father could give to his son, which was how and why it came to be.

His books also have that ultimate mark of any classic, the ability to be enjoyed as much by grown-ups as by children. The jungle book is most probably familiar to the world now through the Disney cartoon, which bears all the relationship to the original book as Muppet Treasure Island does to Robert Louis Stevenson. The real book is much darker, much more dangerous, much more exciting and much, much more enjoyable. Kipling takes anthropomorphism to its artistic ultimate and, within the cadre of jungle animals reflects human characteristics both good and bad: the sagacity of Baloo, the wisdom of Bagheera, the nobility of Akela, the independence of Kaa, the rottenness of Shere Khan and the mindless brutality of the Dhole. Humans, by contrast, fare rather poorly being divorced from their surroundings and, unlike the jungle characters, are shallow and act with neither motivation beyond self-interest nor principle.

So impressed was Lord Baden Powell that he made this book the basis for the cub scouts (as he did with another of Kipling's masterpieces, Kim for the scouts themselves). The books may contain Victorian values, but these are the best of Victorian values and the ones that define a civilized society, even if they, like Kipling, have become unfashionable. Above all though, the Jungle Book is a ripping yarn, a page-turner, a plot-boiler and, uniquely amongst Kipling's prolific output, a spawner of sequels; something that Walt Disney obviously recognised. The only words of warning or discouragement that I would utter is that the book, as with all the Mowgli stories, can be quite sinister and not suitable for the same age range as the cartoon and, speaking of the cartoon, be prepared to despise its fluffy, trite Americanised bowdlerisms forever once you have read the original; so, if you adore Disney and want to go on loving it, perhaps you should stay away from the literature from which it stole its ideas.

One of the greatest children's books ever - read it!, 25 Jan 2002
...The Jungle Book [is] one of the most thrilling and vivid fantasies ever written. Forget about the [...] Disney version, in which Kaa is the baddie, this stuff makes your hair stand on end, it's so alive to what it must feel like to be an animal. Mowgli's arrival at the wolves' cave, pursued by the evil tiger Shere Khan, his upbringing by the wolves, his adventures in the jungle and attempt to go back to living among men is full of savagery and beauty and excitement. Interleaved among the Mowgli stories are other great animal tales - about Rikki Tikki Tavi the mongoose who takes on two deadly cobras living in an Indian garden, and fights them to the death; and about a white seal who finds the one place where seals can be safe.
You do need a bit of patience i